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January 16~ i91~.
<br />
<br /> ' ~ ~o take up ~aid matter~ and Eessrs. Boors and
<br />tee of .zve, to be known as "Legislative Commzttee,
<br />Williams were appointed on the Committee from this body.
<br />
<br /> Next~ a:.bill concerning the "printing of ordinances'~ was taken up for consideration.
<br /> On motion, said bill ~as adopted ~md referred ~o our Representatives zn the Legislature
<br />to do what is necessary to have said bill passed.
<br />
<br />oil
<br />
<br />First. ~atters adopted by
<br />for concurrence.
<br />
<br /> UN_I~I~ITED BUSINESS.
<br />
<br />the Board of Aldermen December 19th
<br />
<br />and referred to the Common Court-
<br />
<br /> To adopt a recommendation of the City Attorney to dismiss the injunction proceedings recently
<br />obtained against the Water Company by certain citizens of the Seventh ~ard~ to which the City was a
<br />party. ~
<br /> The above was concurred in.
<br />
<br /> Second. Matters adopted by the Common Council January 9th and referred to the Board of A~cer-'~
<br />men for conouzrenoe.
<br />
<br /> To instruct the City Attorney to draft a bill to have amended an Act concerning a franchise tax
<br />on light, heat, and power companies~ so as to permit cities to impose a tax on same for the use of
<br />their streets, &c.
<br />
<br /> To instruct the Ferry Commit~ee~tO confer with the Board of ~pervisors in relation to ~end-
<br />lng an Act relating to Norfolk County Ferries,
<br />
<br /> To refer to the Ordinance Committee the advisability of an ordinance to amend sections ?$ and
<br />158 of the Ordins~uces in relation to the ~ties of the ~treet Inspector and City ~L~gineer.
<br />
<br /> To instruct the City Attorney to draft a bill for amending section 817 of the Gode in relation
<br />to appointment'of Deputies°
<br />
<br /> To refer to the Sinking Fund Commissioners a request of the Treasurer to borrow $14~6~1.75 of
<br />the Sinking Fund, to meet general City expenses~
<br />
<br /> All of the above were concurred in~
<br />the Sinking Fund, by the following vote:
<br />
<br />men
<br />
<br />Privett, ~arkham, Davis, Nutty,
<br />
<br />and the request of the Treasurer ~o borrow $14~631.75 of
<br />
<br /> Ayes-~alker, Williams, Noore, Langhorne, Ball~n~ine,
<br /> ~lO~O~son, 10.
<br />
<br />Third. Natters adopted by the Common Council January ilth and ~eferred to the Board of Alder-
<br />for concurrence.
<br />
<br />side
<br />
<br />To authorize the Fire Committee to advertise for bids to purchase a Six Circuit Switch Board.
<br />
<br />To authorize the Public Property Committee to advertise for bids to build a shed on the south
<br />of Seaboard Narket.
<br />
<br />The above were concurred in.
<br />
<br /> Fourth. Communications from the Mayor.
<br /> ~Portsmouth, Va., Std. January, 19lb.
<br /> "The Council.
<br /> "Gentlemen:
<br />
<br /> · "On the 19th day of Decen~bsr the Ferries Co. took the ferry boa.t,
<br />Twin City, from the Portsmouth-Berklev route some time before noon and put her on the Eorfolk-Berk-
<br />ley route, and there was no service between Por'temouth and Berkley the remainder of that day.
<br /> ~The Twin City was taken off owing to an accident to the steamer Norfolk County, which was run-
<br />ning between Portsmouth and Norfolk, and took the place of the Winthrop which steamer was withdrawn
<br />from the Norfolk-Berkley line and pu:t on the Portsmouth-Norfolk line.
<br /> ~inasmuch as there would have been one boat to maintain the service between Norfolk and Berkley
<br />and complaint having been made of the withdrawal of the boat between Portsmouth and Berkley, I issued
<br />a civil warrant to recover SEO for one-half of the penalty for the loss of eight trips; my jurisdic-
<br />tion being limited to $20.00.
<br /> "~r. R. R. Hicks, attorney for ths Ferries Co. ~ contends that the Council only have the right
<br />to institute proceedings to recover the penalty provided by contract for failure to maintain sche-
<br />dules.
<br /> "I would~ therefore, upon the suggestion of ~the City Attorney, ask that an ordinance be adopt-
<br />ed imposing t~e same .penalty as the contract provides, or the City half of this penalty, ~E.50, for
<br />each trip lost, unless same was lost by act of Providence or for some unavoidable cause.
<br /> ~Several weeks ago I called the attention of the Chairman of the Joint Ferry Committee to the
<br />dirty condition of the windows of the ferry waiting rooms and the windows and lights of some of the
<br />boats, a copy of which letter was sent to the SUperintendent of the Ferries, but as yet no notice
<br />has been taken of ~y letter, and as far as I can see nothing has been done to improve the condition
<br />comp&ained of.
<br /> "I would, therefore, ask that an ordinance be also passed providing compliance wit~ the section
<br />of the lease requiring the waiting rooms and the cabins of the boats to be kept clean and well light-
<br />ed.
<br />
<br /> "The ~dge of the Circuit Court of the City having decided that the City can not impose a li-
<br />cense tax on the Gas Company, an ~ct of the General Assembly, approved Feb~ ~8, t910, providing
<br />that all light, heat, water and power companies paying a franchise tax on gross receipts that '~his
<br />tax shall be in lieu of all taxes or license charges whatsoever upon the franchise,' I would recom-
<br />mend that the City's representatives in the General Assembly be asked to use their efforts in having
<br />said act amended, and to oppose the p~ohibition by the State of the City securing any revenue for
<br />the use of its streets by said such corporations.
<br /> "The Port~mouth Caz Company~ I am informed, is capitalized at over $~00,000, yet it pays taxes
<br />on less than $tSO,O00 of property~and the State receives less than $t500 from it~ in addition to
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